Preparation of subjects for medical or veterinary examination

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of identifying if a subject is sufficiently prepared to permit successful colonoscopic examination, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a stool sample from a subject having undergone preparation for a colonoscopic examination; (b) analysing the sample to detect the presence and/or amount of faecal matter, if any, in the stool sample; and (c) from the analysis in step (b), identifying whether the subject has been sufficiently prepared.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of identifying if a subject is sufficiently prepared to permit successful colonoscopic examination, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining a stool sample from a subject having undergone preparation for a colonoscopic examination; 
 (b) analysing the sample using an analytic technique comprising Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer analysis which detects volatile organic compounds collected or derived from the stool sample to detect the presence and/or amount of faecal matter, if any, in the stool sample; and 
 (c) from the analysis in step (b), identifying whether the subject has been sufficiently prepared. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein prior to obtaining a stool sample from the subject, the subject has been administered a laxative. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the subject is a human subject. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein steps (b) and (c) comprise measuring the ion current intensity at one or more pairs of values for dispersion field and compensation voltage, and comparing the measured ion current intensity to a respective predetermined threshold value at each of the one or more pairs of values for dispersion field and compensation voltage, and from the comparison, determining whether or not the subject is sufficiently prepared for colonoscopic examination.